Samuel Brown (1801-1882)
}} * Zion's Camp Veteran * LDS 1st Quorum of Seventy * Killed by Indians 1882 Biography Elder Samuel Brown was born February 1, 1801 in Alstead, Cheshire County, New Hampshire to John Brown (AFN: 1P3J-76) and Betsy Webster (AFN: 1P3J-8C). Conversion to Mormonism Samuel Brown was an early convert to the Church. Using a mathematical calculation from known, events, it seems he was baptized in 1833. The following year he participated in the Zion's Camp expedition to Missouri to relieve the suffering of the persecuted saints in Zion. Zions Camp Participant One of the most interesting episodes in the early history of LDS Church was the march of Zion's Camp (1834). The members of the Church in Missouri were being persecuted, and the Prophet Joseph made it a matter of prayer and received a revelation on February 24, 1834. The Lord instructed the Prophet to assemble at least one hundred young and middle-aged men and to go to the land of Zion, or Missouri. (See D&C 130:19–34.) Zion’s Camp, a group of approximately one hundred and fifty men, gathered at Kirtland, Ohio, in the spring of 1834 and marched to Jackson County, Missouri. By the time they reached Missouri, the camp had increased to approximately two hundred men. Excommunication and Return Shortly after the return from Zion's Camp, Brown became involved in matters which shortly resulted in a High Council hearing. The History of the Church recounts thusly: "Elder Nathan West preferred charges against Samuel Brown, High Priest, for teaching contrary to counsel, namely, encouraging the brethren in practicing gifts (speaking in tongues,) in ordaining Sylvester Hulet a High Priest (without counsel) in a clandestine manner; asserting that he had obtained a witness of the Lord, which was a command to perform the same on receiving the gift of tongues, which gift he had never before received, but afterwards said that he had been in possession of that gift for the space of a year; and in undervaluing the authority and righteousness of the High Council by charging Elder West not to say anything that would tend to prejudice their minds, lest they might not judge righteously. The charges were sustained by the testimony of Leonard Rich, Charles English, Brother Bruce, Edward Partridge, Hiram Page, Roxa Slade, Caleb Baldwin, and Sylvester Hulet. President David Whitmer (1805-1888) gave the following decision, which was sanctioned by the council: "According to testimony and the voice of the Holy Spirit, which is in us, we say unto you, that God, in His infinite mercy, doth yet grant you a space for repentance; therefore, if you confess all the charges which have been alleged against you to be just, and in a spirit that we can receive it, then you Brown can stand as a private member in this Church, otherwise we have no fellowship for you; and also, that the ordination of Sylvester Hulet, by Samuel Brown, is illegal and not acknowledged by us to be of God, and therefore it is void. Brother Brown confessed the charges, and gave up his license {that is his licence to preach or the priesthood], but retained his membership." By the following year, he seems to have been fully restored in the mind of the Lord and the Church leadership for in 1835, perhaps because of his faithfulness in Zion's Camp and the Mission he filled to Washington County, Illinois, he was called to the First Quorum of Seventy, thus entering the ranks of the General Authorities. LDS Quorum of Seventy Created by the Mormon Prophet Joseph Smith (1805-1844) in early 1835, the Quorum of Seventy was to act as traveling and presiding ministers for the newly created The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Many of these men performed notable works for the early church, living near then church headquarters in Kirtland, Ohio. The Quorum of Seventy itself did not meet as a governing body of the church and was not renewed until reorganized by the church in 1976. 1835 Mission In December 1835 he wrote a report of his missionary efforts: Dear brother: Almost three years have passed away since I embraced the fulness of the gospel of Christ. During the above mentioned time, I have travelled probably not less than eight thousand miles, and can say of a truth, that I have been receiving additional evidences continually, that the work in which I have been engaged, is of the Lord. Since the first of December, I have seen the addition of about 130, to the church. Within a few months past I have baptized six, and in company with other elders fifteen more. The churches in which I have labored, generally are increasing in numbers, faith, and righteousness. Yours in the bond of the new covenant. Samuel Brown. 1838 Missouri Persecutions Elder Brown suffered in the Missouri Persecutions. We read, "An election was to be held August 6, 1838, and members of the Church intended to exercise their franchise. Their enemies vowed that they should not vote. The mob bully, Richard Welding, full of liquor, made an attack on Samuel Brown saying: "The Mormons were not allowed to vote in Clay County no more than the negroes," and that they should not vote now. Perry Durphy sought to suppress the difficulty and defend Brother Brown. This aroused other members of the opposition who began to cry 'Kill him, kill him,' and this may have happened if Riley Stewart had not struck Welding on the head and brought him to the ground." Elder Brown also endured the persecutions of the Nauvoo era and went west with the saints after Joseph's Martyrdom. 1882 Killed by Indians He died September 13, 1882 in Payson, Utah. The further particulars of his death are the following: While returning from a trip north to his home in Fillmore, in company with Bro. Josiah Call, he was waylaid by Tom Moke, Topoba, Topanawich and Panawich, of Peteetneet's band of Utah Indians, who shot him through the left breast, near the heart, cut his throat and scalped him, stripped him of his clothes and robbed him of all he had. He was in company with Josiah Call, who also fell a victim to their savage cruelties, and was shockingly mangled. They were both found thirteen days after they were killed. Bro. Brown's body was found covered up in the cedars by Reuben A. Mc Bride who brought it to Fillmore. Although the weather was warm and he had laid so long after he was killed, there was no smell or appearance of decay, till sic the next day after the body was brought and laid out. Marriage and Family He was married twice. 1st Marriage: Harriet Cooper Md first to Harriet Cooper (1810-1834), an immigrant of London, England. The had one child before she died. # Samuel Brown Jr - Born on 31 October 1832 in Alstead, Cheshire, NH. Died 7 October 1858 in Fillmore, UT. His mother was Harriet Cooper who died when he was a young boy. He was adopted by Lydia, Samuel's second wife. 2nd Marriage: Lydia Lathrop Second marriage to Lydia Mariah Lathrop (1815-1852), of Tolland, Connecticut. They had ten children, including one set of twin born in 1849. She died in 1852 in Nebraska on the Mormon Pioneer Trail. Lydia being a 5th cousin of U.S. President Franklin D. Roosevelt (common ancestor - LT Jonathan Delano, Sr.). # Emily Sophia Brown - Born 16 April 1837 in Davis County, MO. Died 3 April 1904, Payson, UT Is buried in the Payson Cemetery. # Betsy M. Brown - Born 1841 in Nauvoo?, Hancock, IL . Died 4 September 1842. # Son Brown Born - March 1846 Nauvoo, Hancock, IL, Died March 1846 # David Brigham Brown Born - 1848 Iowa US. Died 9 August 1920 Colonia Chuichupa, Chihuahua, Mexico. # George Austin Brown Born 21 November 1849 Council Point, Pottawattamie, Iowa, Died 23 December 1920 Koosharem, Sevier, Utah. Buried in Koosharem Cemetery # John Brown - Born 21 November 1849 Council Point, Pottawattamie, Iowa, Died 1867 Payson, Utah, Utah. Buried in the Payson, UT Cemetery. Vital Records Payson Cemetery * Location : Payson Cemetery References * Elder Samuel Brown - Grandpa Bill's GA Pages * #30158907 * History of the Church, (Multiple citations; see index) * LDS Biographical Encyclopedia, Andrew Jenson, Vol. 2, p. 598 * Samuel Brown - disambiguation * Brown in Utah - __SHOWFACTBOX__ Category: LDS Quorum of Seventy